Cuba’s acting president, Raúl Castro, addressed the crowd. “We need to bring everyone into the daily battle against the very errors that worsen objective difficulties derived from external causes,” he said, referring to the U.S. economic embargo. His speech focused on the challenge of increasing agricultural and industrial production, eliminating waste, and remaining true to the principles of Cuba’s socialist revolution.

Reports in the big-business press expressed disappointment that little has changed in Cuba since Raúl Castro assumed greater governmental responsibility after Fidel Castro stepped down from leadership responsibilities due to health problems last July.

“They speculate about an alleged paralysis of the country and even about an ongoing ‘transition,’” Castro told the crowd. “But no matter how much they shut their eyes, reality demolishes those stale, old dreams.”

—PAUL PEDERSON